Homeland Recap: A-Hunting We Will Go

This week on Showtime’s Homeland, Saul went hunting with some D.C. politicos — only to realize that he is the one in the crosshairs — while Carrie put her undercover mission in jeopardy for the shakiest of reasons.

BLIND-SIDED | So here we are, our first hour into the season armed with full knowledge of what’s going on, and there still is some table setting to be done. Namely, Saul accepts an invitation to go hunting with the president’s chief of staff, thinking it’s the least he can do to court last-minute support before being named full-time director of the CIA.

But upon arriving at the gathering of manly men, Saul is paired with Senator Lockhart — the subcommittee boss who grilled him and Carrie about the Langley bombing. Lockhart relates the president’s concern about CIA morale and the new thinking that the agency might best be served in the future by dialing down the human element. Saul argues that drones can’t do the same work as embedded agents, and declines to temper his POV in trade for Lockhart’s support as CIA director. But the job isn’t Saul’s to lose, it turns out — Lockhart is in line for the gig, and it’s up to Saul if he wants to be a part of his CIA.

Later, the chief of staff toasts Lockhart and his imminent gig, which will be confirmed in two weeks. After Lockhart in turn gives Saul some formal props, Saul shares his less-than-ringing endorsement, noting that intelligence work is more complicated than waiting for geese in a blind. Saul then exits stage left, saying he has much to do in these next two weeks (including, ideally, proving that having a man on the ground à la Carrie is better than any drone in the sky?).

Elsewhere in the hour…..

DISAPPEARING ACT | Javadi aka “The Magician” slips into the States by way of Canada, switches cars, stops to spy on a random-ish woman and her baby (as well as stain his shirt with a gloppy sandwich), then makes camp at a nice house. Carrie meanwhile dumps her meds (a questionable move to flush all of them, if her father or somewhere were to check on her, but “OK”), then gets a visit from Jessica Brody (!), who’s obviously desperate if she’s beseeching her husband’s ex-mistress for help in finding Dana. Carrie agrees to do what she can, which means giving Javadi’s goons the slip by summoning Virgil and his brother Max to execute “the yoga play” (not to be confused with my “frozen yogurt play”), so that she can intercept and lean on FBI agent Hall. But did Carrie’s ruse truly work? That’s the question when Saul and Quinn worry that she’s been made, since Javadi’s guys are no longer parked outside her place. But that night, just as she has gone to sleep, Carrie is awoken by and grabbed by Javadi’s men, who bust her phone, force her to change into other clothes and bag her head for transit. Next Carrie can see, she is face to face with Javadi, who commends her diligent yoga habit. Quinn meanwhile worries upon finding Carrie gone with no lifeline, but as Saul counters, “No, we’re back in business. She’s always been on her own.”

ROAD TRIP-UP | In the latest Homeland leap, Dana manages to buy a bottle of Aquafina for under a dollar at a gas station. (It’s Syracuse, but still.) While there, she also gets an earful from a TV broadcast, that Leo actually killed his brother, during some sort of suicide pact. After Dana all but leaps out of their moving car, Leo cops to the truth. Nonetheless, Dana turns herself into the police and returns home, where she furrows her brow and quietly breaks down, shell-shocked that Leo, much as her father did, lied to her.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT | Oh, and as if Saul’s week wasnt going badly enough, he comes home to find his wife having a cozy dinner with a handsome colleague from Mumbai. Ouch.

What did you think of this week’s latest, Brody-free episode, “The Yoga Play”?

I haven’t watched this ep yet, but I’m guessing Brody is not in this one either. He is SO the blind item because he is hardly in this season which is a bummer because I thought that the CIA would go searching for him.

Damian Lewis is not going to sign up for a new TV immediately after leaving Homeland. Guy just signed on to a Nicole Kidman last week, he will be doing films post Homeland. Brody might die in episode 11 or 12 this season, but he is not the blind item .

I’m sorry but this is getting painful to watch, yet another episode that nothing happened. more time wasted on the useless b story of Dana, no Brody. I find myself not caring what happens at the end. If people are getting joy out of this season all the power to you, but for me personally it has been a subpar outing so far. they need to get back to Brody with the quickness or figure something else out because this show is suffering IMHO.

There have been 5 episodes so far and Brody has been in only one of them. He makes the show exciting. I am getting bored and not interested in Saul or Carrie’s mission. When Brody is on screen that’s when things get exciting. Bad choice on the writers’ part to leave him out so much.

I’ve had this nagging feeling, ever since the beginning of the series, that Saul would end up being the one “in cahoots” with the terrorists. After tonight’s episode, that feeling has risen to the surface yet again. You can’t help but notice that no matter how hard he tries, his life just always ends up in ruins. It’s like watching the slow destruction of a powerhouse intelligence official. His intentions are always good, but somehow he never gets the win. Yes, Carrie has been through the wringer this season, but as we now know, it was all part of the plan. Saul’s plan, that is, to lure the Iranians out. Now, what does he get in return? Snubbed by the agency, and a cuckold for a wife. It will be interesting to watch as everything unfolds now, knowing no matter what, he’ll be right back where he was. The whole plot with Brody and his family needs to either be fleshed out and expanded, or be over with at this point. I was cringing during this entire Dana fiasco, and the rest of the family seems almost too much for the writers to focus on. The writing on this show is very meticulous, and sometimes having a large cast like this one can make for challenges as far as interesting story lines, but I have faith in this show. Brody himself could still become a huge part of this new development with the Iranians, though. That is, if they can get him back to the States (or maybe Iran?) to develop it. Anyway it goes, it’s still intriguing to watch it all.

So, Carrie jeopardizes the mission in which she had to undergo so much personal anguish in orer to make contact with a terrorist because Dana ran away. I usually defend this so but that was one stupid plot.

Hear hear. I was frustrated with that risky move… which didn’t matter anyway, as it turned out. I thought the payoff was the last line by the terrorist about her “yoga”… I thought he was on to her ruse. But nobody said anything in the recaps, so I must have misinterpreted it. Plus, Carrie would be dead if he knew the yoga was a ruse.

I agree with much that has been said. It’s becoming “eh, I can do without it TV.” The interaction btwn Carrie and Saul was instrumental to the success of the first season. And don’t get me started on Dana. Her face annoys me.

So Dana has an ugly cry too? Meh. Sorry, but this miserable twit runs off for three days with the family car and comes home and all she can say is “I’m ok”. If I was Jessica, I’d be yelling, “is the bloody car ok?”

if there was ever a couple on TV that needed a divorce, it would be Mira and Saul. She works in Mumbai, he’s in the US, they sleep in separate bedrooms, she treats her co-worker to a secret candlelight dinner IN THEIR HOME. Divorce please.

If that smug arsehole Lochart thinks that he can successfully be the director of the CIA while holding operatives putting their lives at risk every day with such obvious disdain, then I think he’s going to eventually get a midnight visit from “Awesome” Quinn.

Am I the only one who thought last night’s outing was a decided improvement over prior eps? I was quite happy to see things actually *happening* again. I’m not ready to call it good again, not by a long shot, but it’s bought itself a reprieve with me for the time being. Lovely to see Virgil and Max, always, though I’d like to have some very stern words with Mira. I’ll end with this: I’m quite OVER all the Dana hate. Yes, the storyline was approaching “24”/Kim and the cougar territory. But Morgan Saylor nails every single scene she’s in, and at least there’s stuff going on there. Not sure where they’re going with it, but I’m willing to go along for the ride, at least for another few episodes.

I loved the episode and I don’t get the ott Dana hate either. When I read peoples suggestions for how *they* want the show to be I alternately laugh and cringe because obviously they have no idea how to write a good show themselves. Not saying every episode has been perfect or excellent but the show is still miles above most of the other shows on tv.

I have to admit I have been one of those Dana haters but her story didn’t bother me nearly as much this week. It sort of makes sense why the show continues to focus on her and Carrie said it to the FBI agent. She is the one person that Brody would contact if/when he decides to show his face again. But what I’m still confused by is how Carrie is able to continue to get away with the fact that she was the one to help Brody escape in the first place. It doesn’t appear any one bothered delving deeper into Carrie’s timeline during & after the bombing. Also, the way Saul reacted when Quinn told him Carrie was on her own creeped me out. I still don’t know what side Saul is playing. Sometimes I think he genuinely cares for her and is looking to win the “war” but other times he definitely seems like he has his own agenda. Otherwise, I’m still enjoying this show. Agree it’s not as good as Season 1 or 2 but it’s still a lot stronger than the other stuff that’s out there right now.

They need to stop wasting time with Dana and the Brody family. Get back to Saul/Quinn/Carrie please. Also Peter Quinn is now my favorite on the show along with Saul/Carrie. I hope we’ll see more of Peter and Carrie’s relationship being played out this season. I need some Carrie x Quinn spoilers…

Morgan Saylor is actually a good actress. I agree that a lot of this season’s storyline involving her has been silly and boring. I have a feeling however that as the season progresses she will become an integral part of the storyline involving her father and the terrorists. She may end up interacting directly with Cary

I thought this episode was much better. But I am still confused. Season 2 was all about the mole but we haven’t heard the mole mentioned at all this time? I thought perhaps when the Iranian said “it must be all that yoga” that she had gotten away with it. I have to agree with the minority Dana story lines are just boring but perhaps Carrie gave the necessary segue when she said that Dana is the one person Brody would contact. Anyway. I will still be watching next week!

Good episode. I hope that we’ll see less of Dana and more of Brody next week. The storyline with a new director of the CIA coming in should definitely have a good impact on Saul, Carrie and Quin’s storyline.

I have kind of a dumb question: why did Carrie initially dodge her meeting by staying at that dude’s house, etc., if the point the whole time was that she was to meet w/ them? Also, why were the FBI (or CIA?) at Virgil’s place when she called him to borrow the van? And how is she still out on furlough from the hospital? I might drink too much wine when I watch because I’m constantly feeling confused. :)